Survey study, 1979
When during the menstrual cycle do menstrual symptoms peak?
Symptoms peak in the days immediately before and after menstruation starts, not declining sharply once bleeding begins. Ratings were highest around menstruation onset.
What they did
65 women, mostly hospital staff with median age 19, completed a daily symptom rating scale throughout one complete menstrual cycle. Researchers looked at how symptom severity changed across cycle phases.
What they found
Symptom ratings increased significantly during the premenstrual week. The highest ratings occurred on the days immediately before or immediately after menstruation started. There was no abrupt drop in symptoms when menstruation actually began.
What it means for you
Menstrual symptoms tend to cluster around the onset of bleeding rather than strictly in the days before it. This challenges assumptions about symptom timing. The study was small, included mainly healthcare workers, and tracked only one cycle per woman, so results may not apply to all women or all cycles.
65
women studied
19
median age
1
menstrual cycle tracked per woman
About the study
- Original title
- The timing of menstruation-related symptoms assessed by a daily symptom rating scale
- Authors
- Taylor JW
- Journal
- Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica
- Year
- 1979
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 65
- What was tested
- None; observational symptom tracking.
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1979.tb00268.x